The present invention relates to a vehicle traveling control system with a state display apparatus which system executes a constant-speed cruise control for keeping a vehicle speed at a set speed, a following control for following a preceding vehicle ahead of a host vehicle while keeping an inter-vehicle predetermined distance, a lane-keeping control for keeping the host vehicle within a traveling lane, and a combination of these controls.
Japanese Patent Application First Publication No. Heisei 8-192663 discloses a display device which displays information as to a set vehicle speed, an inter-vehicle distance, an existence of a preceding vehicle and an approach to the preceding vehicle so that a driver can recognize a control state of the host vehicle.
However, such a display device does not display a set-condition speed range within which it is possible to execute a setting operation of the traveling control, and a control-condition speed range within which it is possible to continue the traveling control. Therefore, a driver has been requested to remember the set-condition speed range and the control condition speed range.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a traveling control system with a state display apparatus which enables a driver to easily compare a present vehicle speed with a set-condition speed range and a control-condition speed range.
According to the present invention, a vehicle traveling control system comprising: a control setting unit for setting a vehicle traveling control; a speed range display disposed along a scale of a speedometer; a controller coupled with the control setting unit and the speed range display, the controller being arranged to execute the vehicle traveling control according to a setting operation of the control setting unit, to command the speed range display to display a set-condition speed range wherein a setting of the vehicle traveling control is allowed when the vehicle traveling control is not set, and to command the speed range display to display a control-condition speed range wherein a continuation of the vehicle traveling control is allowed when the vehicle traveling control is set.
According to the present invention, a vehicle traveling control system with a state display apparatus, comprising: a control setting unit for setting a vehicle traveling control; a speed-range display disposed along a scale of a speedometer of a host vehicle; a controller executing the vehicle traveling control according to a setting operation of the control setting unit; the controller executing an inter-vehicle distance control for following a preceding vehicle so that an inter-vehicle distance between the preceding vehicle and the host vehicle is brought closer to a target inter-vehicle distance while a vehicle speed is maintained within a target vehicle speed when the vehicle traveling control is executed and when there is the preceding vehicle ahead of the host vehicle; the controller executing a cruise control so that a vehicle speed of the host vehicle is brought closer to a set vehicle speed set by the control setting unit when the vehicle traveling control is executed and when there is no preceding vehicle ahead of the host vehicle; the controller commanding the speed-range display to display a first speed range indicative of a setting enabling range when the vehicle traveling control is not set; the controller commanding the speed-range display to display a second speed range indicative of a variable range of a set vehicle speed when the vehicle traveling control is set; the controller commanding the speed-range display to display a third speed range indicative of an upper-extended control continued range when the vehicle traveling control is set and when the vehicle speed is greater than the set vehicle speed due to a vehicle accelerating operation by a driver; the controller commanding the speed-range display to change a displayed speed range from the third speed range to the second speed range when the vehicle accelerating operation by the driver is terminated and when the vehicle speed is smaller than a maximum value of the variable range of the set vehicle speed; the controller commanding the speed-range display to display a fourth speed range indicative of a lower-extended control continued range when the inter-vehicle distance control is executed and when vehicle speed is smaller than a first predetermined value; and the controller commanding the speed-range display to change the displayed speed range from the fourth speed range to the second speed range when the vehicle speed is greater than a second predetermined value which is greater than the first predetermined value.
A state display apparatus according to the present invention, of a vehicle traveling control system, comprising: a speed range display disposed along a scale of a speedometer; a controller coupled with the speed range display, the controller being arranged to command the speed range display to display a set-condition speed range wherein a setting of the vehicle traveling control is allowed, when a vehicle traveling control by the vehicle traveling control system is not set, and to command the speed range display to display a control-condition speed range wherein a continuation of the vehicle traveling control is allowed, when the vehicle traveling control is set.
According to the present invention, a method of displaying a state of a vehicle traveling control, comprising: displaying a first speed range indicative of a traveling control settable speed range when the vehicle traveling control is not set; and displaying a second speed range indicative of a traveling control maintainable speed range when the vehicle traveling control is set.
The other objects and features of this invention will become understood from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings.